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LETTERS ON KENTUCKY, 1825 



Heartman's Historical Series Number 22 



LETTERS ON THE 

CONDITION 

OF KENTUCKY 

IN 1825 



Reprinted from the Richmond Enquirer 



Edited by Earl Gregg Swem, 
Assistant Librarian, Virginia State Library 



Sixty-six copies printed for 
CHARLES F. HEARTMAN, ui New York City 

Nineteen Hundred and Sixteen 






Number . . . i of 66 copies printed on Fa- 

briano hand-made paper 

Also seven copies printed on Japan Vellum. 



Qltl 



FOREWORD 

'^ The letters, reprinted in the present volume, 

K» appeared in the Richmond Enquirer, April 5, 8, 

^^ 12, 19, 26, 29, May 3, 6, 1825. At the head of 

each letter is the statement "Communicated for 
the Enquirer." The letters are all unsigned, and 
it has not been possible to establish the identity 
of the author. He was certainly a Virginian, 
but apparently not a resident of Richmond. In 
one instance only does he give a clue to his pro- 
fession. In his description of his visit to the 
Transylvania University at Lexington, he speaks 
of attending the lectures on medical jurispru- 
dence with profit, since they were suited to his 
vocation. He may have been a member of the 
Virginia General Assembly, for he writes with 
knowledge and pride of the good order and 
Roman dignity of the Virginia Senate. In his 
account of the political condition of Kentucky of 
the time he does not miss the opportunity to inti- 
mate that the woes of which he speaks may be 
due to universal suffrage. A vigorous agitation 
had been going on for some years in Virginia for 
the purpose of calling a convention to adopt a 
new constitution. Among the changes demanded 
by some was the abandonment of freehold for 
universal suffrage. The letters reprinted in this 
volume constitute a very able argument against 
universal suffrage, though it does not appear that 
they were written with the distinct purpose of 
opposing this particular feature of the convention 
propaganda. 



The first four letters give a clear picture of the 
political distress of Kentucky in the early part of 
1825. At the close of the War of 1812, the Com- 
monwealth found itself unable to adjust itself to 
the shifting financial conditions of the Eastern 
States and of Europe. A large debtor class arose, 
and among other expedients to lighten the burden 
of this class, the legislature chartered forty 
banks, giving to each the privilege of issuing 
notes. This step led inevitably to more debtors. 
To aid them, a number of stay and replevin laws 
were enacted. The crisis had been reached a 
short time before our author's visit. The three 
judges of the supreme court of the common- 
wealth had decided that the replevin laws were 
contrary to the constitution of the United States, 
being directly in conflict with that clause which 
forbids any state from passing a law that impairs 
the obligation of contracts. The decisions of the 
three judges appear in the case of Lapsley vs. 
Brashears and Barr (4 Littell, 47) and furnish a 
good introduction to these letters. In con- 
sequence of this decision the state was divided 
into two political parties. Relief and Anti-Relief. 
The former opposed the judges and succeeded, not 
in impeaching and removing them, but in 
repealing the law establishing the Court. An- 
other law was enacted, providing a new Court, 
to which new judges were appointed. Of this 
event our author writes in detail. Later, the 
names of Relief and Anti-Relief became merged 
into New Court and Old Court. The Old Court 
party established itself in power and succeeded 
in restoring the state from this unusual situation 
of judicial anarchy. 



LETTERS ON KENTUCKY, 1825 

NO. I. 

February , 1825. 

Dear F: I reached home on the 30th ultimo, 
from the State of Kentucky, where I went on the 
last of November. 

As the weather was fine, and I had made ar- 
rangements to be absent from home several 
weeks, I determined to avail myself of the time 
and opportunity then afforded me, of becoming 
acquainted with the politics of the State, its insti- 
tutions, whatever else was worthy to be known, 
and to see whatever was worthy to be seen. 
With these objects in view, I remained in the 
State two months. From the town of Rich- 
mond I Vv^ent to Lexington, a distance of 
twenty-five miles; at the latter place is es- 
tablished the Transylvania University. — This 
Institution is patronized by the State, though 
not with very liberal endowments; it has several 
professorships of Lav/ and Medicine. As I shall 
hereafter, take occasion to mention this Institu- 
tion, I shall say nothing more concerning it at 
present. I remained in Lexington and in its 
vicinity, two weeks. From this place I went to 
Frankfort, a distance of twenty-five miles, where 
the Legislature of Kentucky was then sitting. 
This place presented a wide field, for the specula- 
tions of the moralist and politician. The State 
House a very splendid edifice, was burnt a few 
days before my arrival at Frankfort; the two 



Branches of the Legislature v/ere then sitting in 
different temporary, and inconvenient apart- 
ments ; there was, therefore, nothing imposing in 
the gravity, splendor or suitableness of those 
which they occupied ; there are an hundred mem- 
bers in the House of Representatives, and thirty- 
eight in the Senate. I v/as fortunate in reaching 
Frankfort in tim.e, to hear the most interesting 
part of the debate, upon the "Judge Breaking 
question." But, before, I represent to you the 
scenes that were acted, on this political Theatre, 
it is necessary, to a full understanding of the feel- 
ings and motives by which the Dramatis personae 
were influenced, to let you into a history of the 
times and the spirit, which has convulsed that 
state for some years. 

The State of Kentucky is divided into two par- 
ties; the "Relief and "Anti-Relief" party; the 
former have acquired that name, from professing 
to advocate measures of Relief, to the embar- 
rassments of the people ; this is much the largest 
party; the latter as the adjunct imports, those 
who are opposed to such measures. The Leaders 
of the Relief party, and for the most part their 
adherents, are involved in the general pecuniary 
embarrassments of the state; Messrs. Rowan, 
Barry and Bibb, have acted the most conspicuous 
parts in this political drama, are men of Talents, 
and are said to be irredeemably Insolvent; des- 
perate in their circumstances, they cannot be 
worsted, but may be benefited by throwing the 
state into confusion. So bold have been its lead- 
ers, that one of them Mr. Barry, on a late occas- 
ion, at a public dinner, toasted the Agrarian law, 
and to make it more palatable, was guilty of the 
profanation, of connecting with it, the name of 



10 



Jefferson, In the ranks of this party, are enlisted, 
some, who are stimulated by ambition, and 
anxiety for office, without feeling the severe pres- 
sure of debt. The minority are headed in the 
Legislature, by Wickliffe, Benjamin Hardin, Rob- 
inson and Flournoy; to this list, tho' not of the 
Legislature, may be added John Crittenden, men 
of integrity, talents and patriotism. Before I 
take leave finally, I shall introduce you to a more 
particular acquaintance with these gentlemen. It 
would, however, require a more able pen, and 
more intimate acquaintance than I have with 
their private lives and political histories to pre- 
sent a full portrait, and to do justice, to the merits 
and demerits, of the Leaders of these two parties. 
All that I shall attempt, will be the general out- 
lines of their characters ; you will not, therefore, 
be disappointed, should you find my pictures mere 
skeletons. I shall endeavor, however, in my draw- 
ings to be faithful to the originals, as presented to 
my own eye, or as seen through the medium of 
public opinion. 

The measures of Relief, were commenced some 
years ago, and to aid their reach at this grand 
object the Legislature of Kentucky have annually 
adopted other measures. But they have proved 
the Ignis-f atuus of the dreaming politicians ; these 
measures have been delusive, and the object is 
now as far from their reach, as it was, when 
Legislative attention was first fixed upon it. So 
far these provisions have produced nothing but 
disappointment, disgrace and chagrin. 

The first measure, adopted in this grand scheme 
of Relief, was I believe, the incorporation of a 
"commonwealth's bank"; this vv^as a "Baseless 
Fabrick"; and altho' it now supplies the state 



11 



with its circulating medium; its paper is at the 
depreciation of two dollars for one specie. Its 
effects, on the body politic, have been like those 
produced on the human system, by the injudicious 
administration of stimuli to the debilitated pati- 
ent ; instead of removing the original cause of dis- 
ease, it excites for a moment and leaves the pati- 
ent in greater morbid debility. Valuation, stay, 
and replevin laws, I believe, followed in succes- 
sion; as these all contemplated a security to the 
creditor, before advantage could be taken of them 
by the debtor, they have had no other effect, than, 
to involve innocent persons as securities and by 
adding to the number of debtors, to render the 
system more popular; to those who are in extre- 
mities and not able to give the security required, 
these provisions can be of no advantage. Unless, 
indeed, from the generality of the feeling in be- 
half of such persons, the Judges of the inferior 
courts were so deeply involved, that they retarded 
the operations of the court and the decisions of 
suits brought before them; this may postpone, 
but the day of retribution will come. The oc- 
cupying claimant law of which you have heard 
so much, together with its various auxiliary pro- 
visions, are branches of the same system. The 
Relief Party have gone on from one step to an- 
other, in the violation of constitutional law, till 
it has no binding authority, and those who fly 
to it for refuge, are mocked and derided. Indeed, 
Mr. Rowan, is reported on a late occasion to have 
said, that the people have a right, not only to 
change their constitution whensoever they please 
but that the expression of the Legislative will, is 
evidence of the v/ill of the people, and therefore, 
that the Legislature are not bound by the Consti- 



12 



tution; this, and that the minority "have no 
rights," are the leading maxims of his political 
creed. Unable to limit the extravagancies and to 
resist the impetuosity of the majority, by the 
energies of their state constitution the minority 
look to the strong arm of the General Government 
for safety, and for succour. — They trust that like 
the Sun, which by its superior powers, keeps the 
planets in their Orbits, the Federal Judiciaiy will 
be competent to keep the Legislature and Ju- 
diciary of their state in their proper sphere: 
Whilst the majority feeling, on past occasions, the 
paralizing influence of the Federal Judiciary view 
it with jealousy and detestation. — A desire to 
rid themselves of its superitending control, to 
which thej'- feel themselves obnoxious, has pro- 
duced the Resolution lately offered, in the House 
of Representatives in Congress by Mr. Letcher 
from Kentucky, which provided, that when any 
State Constitution shall be drawn in question, in 
the Federal Court, the dissent of a single Judge, 
shall be sufficient to decide the question in favour 
of the Constitution of the State. Should this 
proposition prevail, it will blot the Sun from the 
political firmament. 

These measures of relief, have been originated 
with the demagogues of that State ; they are the 
hobbies on which they have rode into office ; they 
have also been favourite subjects of inflammatory 
newspaper discussions, and the themes, which 
have vaunted through the speeches of a host of 
stump declaimers. 

The populace, who are always more ready to 
act than to reflect, caught the influence and were 
kindled into a flame, which spread itself far and 
near. "Down with the Judges," "down with the 



13 



Laws," was reverberated from one extremity of 
the State to the other. 

The Judges of the Court of Appeals are men of 
integrity, firmness, and patriotism, though per- 
haps, not conspicuous for talents; in their de- 
cisions, they have been guided by the light of wis- 
dom borrowed and native, a regard for consti- 
tutional and moral obligations, and the reputation 
of their State. They have in most instances, in 
defiance of the storm which raged around them, 
marched to the point to which their lights have 
directed them ; hence they have been constrained 
to declare many of the most energetic Relief Laws 
unconstitutional. Finding their measures frus- 
trated by the Supreme Judiciary of the State 
these demagogues saw it was necessary to get rid 
of this Spartan Band, without which, they would 
in vain attempt the pass of Thermopylae. — Argu- 
ment would not do. They were therefore de- 
nounced amongst the people, as Judicial Despots, 
who gave Laws to the Country and who had us- 
urped authority to control and decide the des- 
tinies of the State, Deaf to the tumult of popular 
discontent; and fearless of the denunciations of 
these ambitious factitionists, and the intemper- 
ate declamation of this host of stump orators, the 
Judges held their course, with calm and dignified 
firmness. 

By the influence of this excitement, Desha, the 
present Governor of Kentucky, was elected. A 
man who is said to be destitute of private worth 
or political honesty, and had nothing to recom- 
mend him, to the notice of the people, but the as- 
siduity of his attentions to them, and the ardour 
with which he espoused the relief measures. Al- 
though I saw him frequently, I have no personal 



14 



acquaintance with him. He is said by some to 
possess talents; I have never been furnished 
with the evidence. His stature is robust and 
over the common height, his features are strong 
and protuberant with a small deep sunken eye; 
his step is light and active, his deportment evin- 
ces boldness in his purposes, his manners the con- 
descension of a courtier restrained by the pride 
of office. He stoops but to conquer. — His smile 
is to win you to his purposes, or the presage ol 
some new design; whatever you see in his man- 
ners to approve, comes from the head, whatever 
to disapprove comes from the heart. If his fea- 
tures are a faithful index to his mind, it is ele- 
vated above mediocrity, though not to the higher 
circle of genius. His enemies say many harsh 
things of him; whilst his friends, either feeling 
too little interest, or fearing the strength of the 
evidence against him, believe that silence is their 
m.ode of defence, and say but little for him. He 
is the father of the man of the same name, v/ho 
was arrested under the charge of robbery and 
the murder of Baker; the circumstances of 
which, you have seen detailed in the papers. If 
report be true, he received the intelligence of his 
son's arrest, without any extraordinary emo- 
tions; and on the same day, he was seen in the 
streets of Frankfort, and in the Hall of Repre- 
sentatives, with an undisturbed countenance. 
The only concern which he has shown, has been 
to defraud the Law of its victim; and it is said 
if the Legislative interference by changing the 
venue, has not affected this purpose, that he will 
interpose his arm, as Governor of the State, to 
prevent the just execution of the Law. Such is 
the man, who wields with undivided control, the 

15 



Executive authority of the State of Kentucky: 
Whose assent, is required to every Law that is 
passed, and who nominates to the Legislature, all 
the Officers which they appoint. 

But to return from this disgression. The Con- 
stitution of Kentucky provides, that there shall 
be a Supreme Court, to be called the Court of 
Appeals, and such Inferior Courts as the Legis- 
lature, shall from time to time establish. It also 
provides, that the Judges shall be removed from 
office, by impeachment or address by the Legis- 
lature, to the Governor, in which if either mode, 
there must be a concurrence of two thirds of the 
Legislature. At the last election in August, 
some of the counties elected their Representatives 
with a view to the removal of the Judges, and 
as it was believed that their firmness should 
yield to the popular fury, by which they were 
assailed, it was thought that the Judges would 
resign their offices. But they assailed Hearts of 
Oak; patriotism was the impulse, liberty the 
prize ; "they nailed their colours to the mast, and 
determined to sink with the ship." Such was 
the state of things when the Legislature met. — 
But I tire you with the length of my letters. — 
Adieu, you shall hear from me again shortly, 
when I will resume this subject. 

NO. II. 

February—, 1825. 
Dear F : In my last, I promised that you should 
hear from me again, and that I would resume the 
subject of that letter. I now redeem my pledge. 
On the meeting of the Legislature, measures 
were adopted under the constitution, the provi- 



16 



sions of which I gave you in my last, to deprive 
the judges of their seats. Impeachment and ad- 
dress were tried in vain. Altho' there was a 
plurality of the Legislature in favour of removal, 
there was not a constitutional majority. Disap- 
pointment served only to increase the tur- 
bulence of the friends of the measure. 
Now was the time for the political necrom- 
ancer, to show his Legerdermain ; now for 
the hectors of the party, their courage in attack- 
ing the Fortress of the Constitution. Achilles- 
like, the judges felt that they could be assailed in 
one point only, through the means of the consti- 
tution, and having, as they supposed, guarded 
themselves in that point, they sat in conscious 
security on their seats. But anon, it was sug- 
gested, that altho' the constitution prohibited the 
removal of the judges from their seats, unless in 
the modes mentioned, there was nothing in that 
instrument to prevent, by a plurality of votes, 
the removal of the seat from the judges! ! The 
idea took, and ran through their heated ranks 
v/ith the rapidity of thought. Immediately the 
match was prepared to blow up the temple of 
the Supreme Court of the state. Being most ac- 
customed to mischief, Mr. Rowan's hand was 
the most steady, his heart the most unrelenting 
in its purposes, and his mind being the most 
plastic, he was appointed to prepare and apply 
the match. He wrote a "Book" consisting of a 
preamble and resolutions, suited to the occas- 
ion. Invigorated by ambition, and reckless of 
the consequences to his countr^^, he threw this 
torch far and near; doubtless expecting Salam- 
ander-like, to rise with increased strength from 
the flame which he kindled to consume others. 



17 



A caucus was held, and a bill was introduced in 
the other branch of the Legislature where it was 
passed and sent to the House of Representatives 
for its concurrence. This Bill "uno flatu" de- 
stroyed and re-created the Court of Appeals and 
provided also, for the Election of another set of 
judges; the re-creating provisions of the bill 
were, totidem verbis, the repealed law. 

The judges who were then holding their courts 
in Frankfort, were eye-witnesses to the passing 
scene. Steady to their purposes, they looked 
with calm and undisturbed serenity on the dis- 
graceful subterfuge by which they were depriv- 
ed of their offices, and the conflagration which 
threatened destruction to the Supreme Temple 
of Justice. But they felt not for their personal 
safety or dignity ; this was as dust in the balance, 
contrasted with the consequences to their coun- 
try. 'They were willing to seal their opinions 
with martyrdom ; Curtius-like, they were willing, 
for the safety of their country, to leap into the 
gulf prepared for its destruction; but that were 
vain; — the chasm was to be filled with nothing 
less, than the constitution of the state, the In- 
dependence of the judiciary and the dignity of 
the commonv/ealth. 

Disdaining any other weapons of defense than 
those of reason; and anxious that the people 
should be properly informed, and that the ques- 
tion should not be prejudiced by presenting but 
one side of it to them, that the bane and antidote 
should go together, the judges asked the Legis- 
lature to suspend further proceedings on the sub- 
ject, till they had an opportunity of preparing 
and presenting to that body their reply ; but this 
was denied. Mr. Rowan's "Book," was in the 



18 



meantime printed and disseminated into every 
part of the state, with unwearied and unpre- 
cedented industry. The judges, however, pre- 
sented their response to Mr. Rowan's "Book" 
in which, they exposed its errors and refuted its 
political heresies, with a calmness which did 
them honor, and a force of reasoning, irresis- 
tible and conclusive. Feeling the force of its 
reasoning and knowing the response was calculat- 
ed to frustrate the designs of Mr. Rowan and his 
party, he asked an opportunity of rejoining, be- 
fore the response was printed ; this was granted. 

Mr. Rowan withdrew from the House and was 
several days engaged in preparing his second 
"Book" ; during his absence, his party were 
chuckling in anticipation of the complete over- 
throw of the judges' "Response," "Sed montes 
parturiunt, &c." By some it was said that Mr. 
Rowan's object was, more to gain time for the 
poison which he had sent forth, to take effect, 
than to rejoin; by others it was said, that the 
more he weighed the arguments of the Response, 
the more weak was his own faith, and these 
would not have been surprised, if indulged a few 
days longer, he had returned to the House a con- 
firmed Anti-Relief man ; whilst others who knew 
him better, had no doubt of the perfect assent 
of his mind, at all times to the doctrines con- 
strained in it, and judging from his previous 
apostacies believed, that if the opposite party had 
had it as much in their power, to reward him for 
his services, that he would have been found in 
their ranks. 

During this time, party spirit waxed hotter and 
hotter in both branches of the Legislature; the 
individuals of each kept aloof from the others; 



19 



this spirit of party manifested itself, not only 
on the Arena of debate, but it was seen and felt 
in private friendship; nor was it confined to the 
members of the Legislature. All who breathed 
the atmosphere of Frankfort, who lived in the 
neighborhood, or who visited the scene felt its 
exciting influence. The ladies of the neighbor- 
hood were in the daily habit of visiting the 
House of Representatives, by which means, they 
were acquainted with the leading arguments, 
urged by both parties, and you seldom fail to find 
them enlisted on one side or the other. — Much to 
their credit the largest portion of them, I believe> 
were opposed to the Relief measures. 

Such was the state of excitement, and the crisis 
of this question when I arrived at Frankfort. I 
repaired to the House of Representatives on the 
succeeding morning without loss of time; on be- 
ing invited within the bar of the house, I had 
some opportunity of observing what passed. 
From the course of the debate I found that there 
had already been several skirmishes between the 
contending parties; but they were the irregular 
and scattered firing of the undisciplined troops 
of the outpost. — The veterans of either party 
were holding back for the general engagement, 
which was now brought on, by several young 
gentlemen, who witnessed by their zeal "the 
spirit within them." Mr. Wickliffe now took the 
floor; he rose in the presence of a crowded and 
impatient lobby. The buzz of conversation was 
hush'd, silence prevailed in every part of the 
House, and every countenance expressed the most 
lively interest. Altho' a short time in the coun- 
try, I was no stranger to the character of Mr. 
Wickliff"e ; his fervor, boldness, talents and weight 



20 



of moral character, rendered him a fearful op- 
ponent of the "Reliefs" and the favourite of his. 
own party. Under these circumstances, you may 
well suppose that my interest, was not less than 
that of those who surrounded me. Mr. Wick- 
liffe presented a person tall, erect^ and well pro- 
portioned; when standing, his appearance is ele- 
gant, his look eloquent; his features are uncom- 
monly striking, tho too irregular to be hand- 
some; their irregularity gives them more force 
of expression. His whole appearance indicates 
a proud and dauntless heart of conscious purity, 
a mind exalted by labour, and enlightened by 
genius. Mr. Wickliffe occupied the floor nearly 
five hours, my expectations of him were disap- 
pointed; in debate his action is unsuitable and 
ungraceful, his style is diffuse, his arrangement 
loose and immethodical, and the ardour of his 
patriotism makes him too bold in his crimina- 
tions and too severe in his denunciations. His 
manner evinces too little respect for his adver- 
sary and the dignity of the House. He is a well- 
read politician of the Jefferson school, and there 
are few men of the age better acquainted with 
the history of our political institutions, in what 
consists the welfare, honor and glory of his 
country than Mr. Wickliffe. He is devoted to 
his country's honor, and welfare, he loves its 
friends, and abhors its enemies, with the ardour 
of personal friendship and the bitterness of re- 
venge. 

Mr. Wickliffe is not an ingenious debater. By 
the excursiveness of his range, he exposes many 
points of attack, and an adroit adversary would 
thrust him to the vitals, whilst Mr. Wickliffe was 
making his wide-circling sweep to bring him to 

21 



the ground. Although too diffusive in his 
speeches, Mr. Wickliffe is listened to with plea- 
sure; he always speaks good sense, and the only 
objection to what he says is that it has some 
times, too little connection with the question in 
debate. He never fails before he closes his 
speech to touch the strong points in the cause 
and to urge them with force. — Mr. Wickliffe is 
a gentleman of large fortune, and a lawyer of 
eminence. He has signalised himself by the act- 
ivity and firmness with which he has uniform- 
ly opposed the measures of the Relief Party in 
Kentucky. 

I shall not attempt to sketch the arguments on 
either side, lest I may do injustice to the speak- 
ers or weary your patience. Suffice it to say, 
that the question was discussed on both sides 
with ingenuity, ability, and eloquence, and that 
the debaters evinced a profundity of knowledge 
in the science of politics instructive to others, 
flattering to themselves, and honourable to their 
state. Mr. Wickliffe was succeeded by Mr. 
Samuel Davis of the Relief Party; he is the 
brother of Joe Davis, who was killed during the 
Indian War at the Battle of Tippacanoe ; with the 
name of Joe Davis is associated in Kentucky, 
virtue, talents and military genius; he was a 
statesman, a lawyer, and a soldier of the first 
order in his state ; he was the pride and boast of 
his country. His brother Samuel suffers by a 
comparison with him ; the twinkling lights of his 
genius are lost in the splendour of his brother's 
reputation; his candour is suspected and the 
ardour with which he espouses the Relief side of 
the question is ascribed to sinister motives, a de- 
sire to be made a judge. There is little in his 



22 



manners worthy of commendation or stricture; 
his stature is low and his person ungraceful ; his 
manner is marked by self -complaisance ; his mat- 
ter lacks originality, and his voice is harsh and 
unpleasant; he made several speeches; in the 
last he occupied the floor an hour and one half; 
when he closed by saying, he had not said half 
he intended, but that he would write the balance 
which he asked leave of the House to publish. 
As a man of talents, Mr. Davis occupies that 
middle station which is too high for contempt 
and too low for admiration ; his intimacy and in- 
fluence with the lower orders of society make him 
popular and useful as a partisan. If we recol- 
lect that Mr. Davis was a few years ago an il- 
literate waggoner, and that he is self-taught, we 
must approve his industry and wonder at his 
present elevation. 

It was nov/ nine o'clock at night, the House sat 
till a late hour the night before and were weary 
of the debate ; the Relief Party had used various 
expedients to put an end to the discussion, and 
it was agreed that the question should be taken 
before another adjournment; these circumstances 
combined to produce great impatience. Mr. 
Hardin rose under these disadvantageous circum- 
stances, and succeeded Mr. Davis in the debate. 
You will remember that this gentleman, Mr. 
Hardin, v/as several years a member of Congress 
from Kentucky, and that it was of him, Mr. 
Randolph is reported to have said, that his "wit 
was like a butcher's knife whetted on a brick- 
bat." 

Mr. Hardin's person is over the common height 
and rather slender ; his manner though not rude, 
is uncourteous, though not refined is manly and 

23 



evinces abstraction; his eyes beam with genius, 
while the rest of his features indicate a mind cap- 
able of intense thought, and disciplined to severe 
labour. Mr. Hardin is a lawyer of high stand- 
ing, and he has been more engaged in the duties 
of his profession than in the scenes of politics; 
his efforts therefore to resist the present policy 
of the state have been more sparing than Mr. 
Wickliffe's ; since you hear him spoken of less fre- 
quently ; his disinterestedness as a politician and 
the energies of his mind have secured for him the 
confidence of both parties. I have said sufficient 
of Mr. Davis that you may understand what sub- 
ject this whetted kitchen knife had to operate 
on. It was directed by the hand of an artist. 
When Mr. Hardin rose, there was the most pro- 
found silence, every eye was fixed and every ear 
given to him. If in the case of Mr. Wickliflfe, 
my disappointment was unpleasant, Mr. Hardin 
made amends. His action though not refined by 
study, was impressive and dignified, his style 
plain, his arrangements rational, his arguments 
original, his conclusions just, and his wit, what 
Mr. Randolph has described it. Mr. Davis sat 
on Mr. Hardin's left and in his view, and as the 
former seemed to consider himself the Ajax of 
his party, and had indulged in crimination and 
personal invective, Mr. Hardin condescended to 
direct some of his arguments, though more of 
the shafts of his wit, to Mr. Davis. When Mr. 
Hardin commenced, Mr. Davis was sitting with 
an uplifted head, elevated by self-approbation of 
his own speech, and the respect shown him by 
his own party. But presently he was seen to 
contract his dimensions, his head to fall, and 
gradually sink himself in his seat as if, to avoia 



24 



the sarcastic leer and electric force of Mr. Hard- 
in's wit. He was however not willing to let Mr. 
Davis escape, and when not able to see him other- 
wise, Mr. Hardin rose on tip toe, as though de- 
termined not to miss his aim, and sent his shafts 
with unerring hand and unrelenting severity. His 
arguments were as weighty as his wit was 
severe. — Although he treated his adversary's 
arguments with respect, he traced them into their 
dark winding labyrinths, detected them in their 
webs of sophistry, brought them forth to the 
light of truth, stripped off their coverings, and 
exposed their nakedness and deformity. Others 
of the same party trembled with fear for the 
safety of their measures; well might they fear 
Mr. Hardin's strength; for it was the irritated 
Lion roused from his slumbers, breaking the pack 
threads by which his enemies were attempting to 
bind him, and threatening destruction to all who 
disturbed his repose. Mr. Hardin spoke more 
than an hour, and when he closed, the House re- 
sounded with peals of approbation. But I have 
forgotten myself and drawn this letter to an un- 
expected length. I will therefore close it, and 
if you are not tired of the subject, I will devote 
another to it. 

NO. HI. 

February — , 1825. 
My Dear F: My last letter was concluded 
with a notice of Mr. Benjamin Hardin and the 
part he took in the debate. I will now present 
you with a more particular notice of Mr. Rowan 
who succeeded Mr. Hardin. You have seen the 
part which Mr. Rowan has hitherto taken in 



25 



these proceedings, and that he is the main pillar 
by which this system of Relief is supported. 

Mr. Rowan's fame is co-extensive with a 
knowledge of Kentucky policy. He has acted so 
distinguished a part in its establishment, that the 
friends of Relief measures ascribe to him all the 
credit, and the enemies all the Odium of originat- 
ing them. His reputation for talents was un- 
rivalled in the legislature, and perhaps in the 
state ; he presents a melancholy proof of the mis- 
chiefs which are to be apprehended from the con- 
nexion of superior talents with great ambition. 
Mr. Rowan's moral character has been tarnish- 
ed by the devious course of his life, and his 
political career has been marked by political 
tergiversation. The superiority of his talents 
and the pliability of his mind, make him useful as 
a partisan, keep him in demand with all parties 
and enable him to float always on the popular* 
current; were his principles equal to his talents, 
his usefulness in Kentucky would be felt by gen- 
erations yet unborn. 

Mr. Rowan is said to have studied with suc- 
cess the human character, the various motives 
by which man is actuated; and that few better 
understand what chord of the heart will vibrate 
in harmony with his wishes, than Mr. Rowan. 
By these means, combined with a profound 
knowledge of his profession, he is pre-eminent as 
an advocate, and successful without precedent as 
a lawyer. 

Mr. Rowan is advanced in years. His stature 
about the ordinary height, with a large frame 
somewhat inclined to corpulence, and owing to 
a defectiveness of vision he is seldom without 
spectacles. His features are large and heavy, 



26 



and indicate more solidity than sprightliness of 
mind. It is however, said that his fancy is lively, 
and his imagery sometimes splendid ; his deport- 
ment is grave and dignified, and the heaviness of 
his features indicates a moroseness and severity, 
which I am told does not belong to his character. 
During the debate, and when I was present, Mr. 
Rowan was seldom in his seat ; but was generally 
traversing some vacant part of the lobby, with- 
in hearing of the Speakers, holding but little 
communion with others, and apparently absor- 
bed in reflection. Great anxiety was expressed 
during the day, by the "lobby members," that he 
should speak; whether he would do so, depended 
as it was understood upon Mr. Hardin's speak- 
ing. Mr. Rowan at length rose, amidst the 
plaudits of Mr. Hardin's address; he occupied 
the floor but a short time, indeed, not long- 
enough to afford me an opportunity to form a 
correct judgment of his merits or peculiarities 
as a Speaker. His mind had not time to be 
warmed with the subject; of course he was 
guarded at all points. His exordium was ap- 
propriate, and his language decorous and temper- 
ate, though slightly seasoned with Attic Salt. 
He evinced a familiar acquaintence with political 
science; and if it was evident he was espousing 
error, it was equally evident, that it was not for 
want of better light. He was prompt in his rec- 
ollection of the authorities introduced by his 
opponent, acute in discriminating between the 
features of the cases adduced against him and 
the case under discussion; and ingenious in re- 
pelling and breaking the force of his adversary's 
argument; and in some instances successful in 
throwing it back upon them. If his exordium 



27 



was appropriate, his conclusion was graceful and 
dignified. As he had exhibited his view of the 
question to the house on paper, he said he did not 
intend to have spoken to the question; though 
fearing as it was said, that the faith of his dis- 
ciples had been shaken by the force of Mr. Hard- 
in's appeal, and the strength of his argument, 
Mr. Rowan was constrained to speak, more as it 
was believed, with a hope of reviving the droop- 
ing courage of his own troops, than of 
making an impression on the enemy. He 
concluded his remarks by saying, as to 
charges made impugning the purity of his 
motives, "he shook them from his shoulders 
as the Lion doth the dew drop from his mane." 
On taking his seat the House again resounded 
with plaudits on the one side, and hisses on the 
other. Mr. Rowan's party have rewarded him 
for his services, by electing him to the Senate of 
the United States. The debate was closed with 
Mr. Rowan's speech, and the ayes and noes be- 
ing called, the friends of the bill had a large 
majority. The Relief party proved victorious; 
but it was a victory over the constitution of the 
State, the Independence of the Judiciary, and the 
best interest of their country. Whilst taking 
the votes and calling the name of a certain mor^ 
ber, whose name or county I do not recollect, he 
rose and asked to be excused from giving his 
"vote alleging, that his conscience and his duty 
were opposed to each other ; he came, he said, in- 
structed to vote for the measure then acting up- 
on, believing it constitutional, but that now he 
was clearly satisfied that the measure was uncon- 
stitutional." He was excused from voting 
amidst shouts of applause and hisses of discon- 
tent. 

28 



So eager were the friends of this measure to 
secure their victory, that they had the bill en- 
grossed, read a third time, and signed that night 
by the governor, who stood in v/aiting pen in 
hand, to give it the sanction of his name. Al- 
though it was rendered certain before the final 
vote was taken, that there would be a majority 
in favor of this bill, yet, when the result was an- 
nounced disappointment and dismay hung upon 
the countenance of every member of the opposite 
party. An awful silence succeeded, such as pre- 
vails amongst the shipwrecked crew, who hear 
amidst the storm, the cry, that "all is lost," and 
see before them the gulf of their destruction. 
Civil war and bloodshed were anticipated, but the 
slumber of a night calm'd the storm, and pru- 
dence dictated submission to the majority. The 
minority, however, drew up a remonstrance to 
the proceedings which they proposed to enter on 
the journal of the House, but this was refused. 
As it has been published in the newspapers, you 
have probably seen it. It contains the outlines 
of the argument urged on the floor, and evidence 
in favor of the talents of those who used them. 

On the passage of the bill the judges closed 
their session and adjourned to meet again in Feb- 
ruary, when it was understood, they would re- 
pair to the place of holding courts and peace- 
ably attempt to take their seats ; but if obstruct- 
ed would retire to their homes, and submit the 
matter to the grand inquest of the people, at the 
next August Election. 

It was understood before the passage of the 
bill that Messrs. Barry and Bibb would be two 
of the judges; this opinion was strengthened by 
the fact, that during the pendency of the mea- 

29 



sure midnight caucuses were held by members 
of the House friendly to the bill, where these 
gentlemen attended, and made elaborate speeches 
in support of it. Accordingly, Mr. Barry was 
elected Chief Justice of the Court; though Mr. 
Bibb, not thinking the salaiy sufficient, refused 
to be nominated by the Governor. The other 
offices were filled by gentlemen from the ranks 
of the majority, all of them are respectable for 
their talents. 

In noticing the debaters on this measure, in 
the House of Representatives, I have mentioned 
only the most conspicuous and leading members 
of either party. I should, however, do injustice 
to many others and some young gentlemen, who 
also took part in the debate, were I to omit to 
say, that many of them on both sides, advocated 
their opinions, with sprightliness, ingenuity 
and force, and in some instances with eloquence. 

Previous to the rising of the Legislature, as I 
understood, remonstrances were received from 
various sections of the State, disapproving in 
strong terms, the proceedings of the Legislature ; 
similar steps were adopted in many other 
counties, too remote to be heard from before the 
Legislature rose. Although many of the coun- 
ties were favorable to Relief Measures, and were 
willing to rid themselves, by Constitutional 
means, of the judges who had obstructed the 
operation of their favorite system of laws, yet, 
they were not willing to accomplish this purpose, 
by marching to it, over the ruins of their con- 
stitution. The people of Kentucky, are too dis- 
criminating not to see through the thin veil of 
sophistry under which these Demagogues have 
attempted to conceal their designs. It is be- 



30 



lieved, that at the next Election, in August, all 
those who voted for this measure, will be dis- 
claimed by the people, and others more deserving 
of their confidence, will be sent in their places. — 
It is mortifying to the friends of peace and 
social order, to the reputation and prosperity of 
Kentucky, to witness such scenes as I have de- 
scribed and observe in this State, "the disastrous 
consequences of the measures of the Relief 
party." To the citizens, the scenes are humbling 
and appalling. — When the storm of passion 
which now agitates shall be hushed, and the bil- 
lows of ambition which now lift their lofty heads, 
shall be sunk to rise no more, and posterity shall 
look up the stream of ages to the present crisis, 
and behold the widespread desolation of their 
country, what think you will be their award 
to the bold polluters of the Temple of their 
Liberties? What think you will be the fate of 
those, who with Gothic rudeness now trample on 
the constitution of their country, when this grand 
inquest, shall be held, when the motives of act- 
ions shall be weighed in the balance of impart- 
iality, and when those whose deeds have been 
good, shall be called forth to the resurrection of 
"deathless fame," and those that have done evil 
to an endless execration? 

But amidst this scene of desolation, when view- 
ing the pollutions of their temple, posterity will 
find something to console them. They will see 
its walls sprinkled with tears of blood, shed over 
its ruin by a few choice spirits who nobly breast- 
ed the storm, and fearlessly resisted the invad- 
ing enemy. From the mildness of her climate, 
the unequalled richness of her soil, the uncom- 
mon force of Intellect of her citizens, if regulat- 

31 



ed in her politics, by principles of moral right, 
Kentucky may yet rear her head amongst the 
proudest of her sister states. But the baleful 
consequences of her present policy are now seen 
in all her institutions. Torn by party spirit, her 
domestic peace is destroyed, the confidence of 
friendship is banished from the social circle, and 
individual happiness and prosperity involved in 
the wreck of the moral character, and Bankruptcy 
of the state. Look but to their Banking system, 
and you may at once, read the history and con- 
dition of the country. I have said that the paper 
of their Banks is a depreciation of two dollars 
for one in specie and well may it be so, whilst it 
represents nothing but the credit of the State 
of Kentucky. 

The ruinous effects of national extravagance 
and political immoralities are so severely felt in 
this state, that experience ought to teach her, 
and all others, the lessons of wisdom, and in 
future, to avoid the folly of resorting to tempor- 
ising measures; the iniquity of violating moral 
obligation and that "honesty is the best policy." 
The present political condition of Kentucky, is 
imputed by some of its most judicious citizens, 
to the unlimited rights of suffrage, guaranteed 
by their constitution. I pretend not to decide on 
the correctness of this opinion, but if it be just, 
I say, good Lord deliver my country from such 
a constitution! ! 

NO. IV. 

February , 1825. 
Dear F: Although I have already occupied 
much of your time, in reviewing the proceedings 



32 



of the Legislature, I have not yet more than 
glanced at the Senate of Kentucky. As the 
drawings which I am attempting w^ill be incom- 
plete, without presenting a full view of this 
branch of the legislature, I shall now take a more 
particular notice of it. 

The morning after the foregoing scenes were 
closed, I went to the senate chamber, and was 
here, also, invited within the bar. Previous to 
my arrival, one of the members, whilst advo- 
cating a local measure, complained of the influ- 
ence of party spirit on all the measures brought 
before that body, and stated that on his way to 
the house that morning, he had been informed 
that a caucus had been held on a preceding night, 
by the members of both branches of the Legis- 
lature, friendly to the bill which had passed in 
the other branch the night before, to which 
gentlemen not belonging to the Legislature had 
been invited, who had addressed the caucus in 
favour of the bill; that by these unfair means 
the measures of the Legislature, whether general 
or local, were carried. This produced a call to 
order and an admonition from the chair. At 
this moment I entered the House. Whatever 
may be the general conduct of that body, it pre- 
sented at this moment, and whilst I was there, 
a scene of irregularity and confusion which 1 
neither expected, nor ever before witnessed. 
Accustomed as I had been, to witness the orderly, 
solemn and Roman dignity of the Senate of 
Virginia, I could not but feel the force of the 
contrast. The members seated themselves upon 
their tables, or elsewhere as convenience suited, 
without regard to decorum; they were equally 
regardless of the order of their speaking, as in 



33 



some instances there were several members ad- 
dressing the chair at the same moment. 

The Lieutenant Governor, Mr. McAfee, pre- 
sides at this body ; he is elected by the people, and 
by virtue of his office, is president of the Sen- 
ate. He is a member of the popular party, and 
I know but little of his history or the grade of 
his talents. — I did not hear any discussions cal- 
culated to elicit the talents of the members of 
this body; it is said there are but few able men 
in it. Major Flournoy, whose name has been 
already mentioned, deservedly ranks high in this 
body; he is an interesting gentleman, his deport- 
ment is energetic, his manners ingenuus and 
genteel, and his style of conversation is nervous ; 
possessing a fund of anecdotes and a well stored 
mind, he is an interesting companion; his feel- 
ings are ardent, and in debate, he is said, to be 
chaste, ingenious and forcible. He is an intelli- 
gent well bred gentleman. 

Finding but little to interest me, I left the Sen- 
ate Chamber and returned to my lodging to pre- 
pare to leave the town of Frankfort; but before 
I do so, I will pause for a moment at the Rep- 
resentative Hall. — In the laudable spirit of pat- 
riotism and regard for the character of General 
Lafayette, the Legislature adopted resolutions, 
with the ordinary expressions of veneration for 
his character, and inviting him to visit the state. 
They also authorized the Governor in such event, 
to draw on the Treasury for any sum necessaiy 
to defray the expenses of the General's recep- 
tion: presently after, a long-faced Treasuiy Re- 
port came in, announcing the insolvency of the 
treasury for thirty thousand dollars! Through 
a similar channel it also appeared, that the con- 



34 



victs in the penitentiary, in the language of 
Wickliffe, were starving and naked, and that for 
want of public funds, they had been supported 
by the private credit of the Keeper. To rid the 
state in future of the expense of this institution, 
a law was passed, I was told, authorizing a sale 
of the convicts and penitentiary; a sale has been 
effected, upon what terms I did not understand. 
I promised in a former letter to present you 
with a view of the portraits of Messrs. Barry and 
Crittenden. Although not immediately connected 
with the subject of this letter, the latter is too 
distinguished a gentleman in Kentucky, to be 
passed over without further notice; and as the 
former is now placed in the seat of the chief 
justice of the state, it is due to the dignity of his 
office, as well as to himself, to present him more 
fully. This is as suitable an opportunity as any 
other. I now lift the curtain. Mr. Barry is 
rather under the common height, and slender, and 
is, I suppose, more than fifty years old, though 
younger in appearance; his mode of dress and 
his manners are of old fashioned neatness, blend- 
ed with modern gentility, his deportment is un- 
assuming, and when acquainted with the rank he 
occupies for talents, and the great deference 
shewn him by his own party, you would wonder 
at his modesty, and perhaps, suspect it to be as- 
sumed, to secure to himself the promised reward 
to him "that humbleth himself:" he who wears 
disguise is apt at some moment of unguardedness 
to drop the mask; Mr. Barry is always modest. 
This and a kindness of manner, gives him ready 
access to the heart. His complexion is darkened 
by a slight sallowness, his features in general 
would impress you with a favourable opinion of 



35 



his talents, whilst his eye, which is small, of the 
doubtful color, betwen the hazel and the black, 
imparts a sprightliness, and throws a light over 
his features which enables you to see the super- 
iority of his intellect. I have heard much more 
of his qualities of his head than of his heart; I 
can but say little as to the last; he is said to be 
ambitious and intriguing, looking more to self- 
aggrandisement than to the good of his country. 
He has emerged, by his own exertions from the 
depths of obscure parentage to the heights of 
the chief judicial chair. I never heard him in 
debate; he is said to be eloquent, and more re- 
markable for the powers of declamation than of 
argument; hence he is more successful as an ad- 
vocate than as a lawyer ; he is, however, eminent 
in the latter branch of his profession. His 
powers of declamation give him an influence over 
the passions of the people, which he has used to 
great personal advantage, and his poverty and 
plebeian birth, are said to be his favourite 
themes before the populace, and the means by 
which he opens the avenue to their hearts and 
obtains their confidence. He has been a leader 
in his party and active in bringing about the 
present measures of Kentucky. The kindness of 
my feelings to the reputation of this gentleman, 
induces a wish that his virtues were less sus- 
pected and that his motives were less disguised. 
When appointed a Judge, Mr. Barry was the 
Secretary of State, an appointment made by the 
Governor; he resigned this office to accept the 
one he now holds. 

Mr. Crittenden is a native of Virginia, and the 
descendant of a respectable family, who were dis- 
tinguished for their intellects. This gentleman 



36 



is, perhaps, forty years old, in neither form or 
size uncommon. His personal appearance is that 
of a Lawyer and one fond of bodily ease; he is 
civil without being polite, and seldom approaches 
others; yet is accessible himself. His face, 
altho' good is homely, which is increased by the 
defective arrangement of his teeth ; his forehead 
is high and his eyes are black, but not sparkling. 
From his general appearance you would not be 
surprised should Mr. Crittenden exhibit extra- 
ordinary powers of mind, nor disappointed to 
find him in the humbler spheres of genius; but 
were you to hear him in debate; you would not 
longer doubt what station to assign him ; your en- 
raptured faculties would award to him the 
highest elevation of genius; the fire of his eye, 
the expression of his features, the volubility of 
his speech, and the superior force of his mind, 
would fill you with astonishment. Archimedes- 
like, he wants only a fulcrum on which to rest 
his lever, to overturn his adversary's system. 

Mr. Crittenden has a strength of moral char- 
acter which secures approbation and renders 
what he says or does, authority with others. 
Such is the respect and confidence of both parties, 
in his integrity, that they are willing to confer 
on him the highest oflSce in their gift; he has 
filled every office he has chosen, even as a Sen- 
ator in the Congress of the United States; he 
fills no office at present except perhaps that of 
President of the "Kentucky Bank." His stand- 
ing as a lawyer, is equal to any at the bar, and 
as he is not rich, his necessities require all the 
aids of his professional industry; he has, there- 
fore, of late years, concerned but little in the 
politics of the State. Mr. Crittenden's feelings 

orr 
O / 



are temperate, and, altho' opposed to the relief 
party, he has done but little to resist their mea- 
sures. In his character there is much to emul- 
ate, and but little which a friend would desire 
to alter. 

Having made my arrangements, as before in- 
timated, I left Frankfort, and in company with 
others, rode to George-Town about seventeen 
miles ; here I remained all night, and was then in- 
.troduced to Mr. Ward the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives. He is under thirty years of 
age, is a handsome and genteel young man with- 
out striking talents, though amiable; he is 
thorough-going in relief principles, and it is 
said, he was placed in the Chair, because his 
party were unwilling to spare a stronger man, 
and because he could render them but little aid 
on the floor. From George-Town I returned to 
Lexington. 

NO. V. 

My Dear F: I have hitherto presented the 
dark side of the Picture of Kentucky. My fut- 
ure letters will present it in more pleasing as- 
pects. 

There is, probably, no state in the Union, con- 
sidering its infancy and finances, who has done 
so much, to patronize Literary and Benevolent 
Institutions, as the state of Kentucky. Her fost- 
ering care has been extended to eveiy section of 
the state, to every class of schools, and her en- 
downments have, in some instances, been liberal. 
From the University at Lexington, to the lowest 
grade of schools, all feel the influence of her good 
will, for the promotion of Literature and her de- 



38 



sire to shed the rays of light upon the shades of 
ignorance and obscurity. Nor has she been less 
sparing in the endowments of Humane Institu- 
tions. There are now in Kentucky two Hospitals 
for the reception of Lunatics, one in Lexington, 
the other in Louisville; in addition to these, 
there is a school established by the state, for the 
Education, exclusively of the deaf and dumb, 
where the poor, of this class of unfortunate be- 
ings, are educated at public expense, and where 
the children of the rich may be instructed with- 
in their own state. This Institution, is located 
at Danville, where I went to visit it. I shall 
hereafter give you more particular account of it. 

This zeal for the advancement of Literature, 
is not confined to the Legislature. It is observ- 
able, amongst the citizens in every village, every 
county, and in every neighborhood; here there 
are schools established and conducted by compet- 
ent teachers, wherever necessity or convenience 
renders them desirable. The number of the 
schools, the cheapness of board and the low 
charges for tuition, afford facilities unequalled 
any where else, of obtaining, and puts within the 
reach of both sexes of all classes the opportunity 
of acquiring, a knowledge of any branch of 
science. 

Owing to these facilities and the spirit of am- 
bition which pervades all ranks in that State, the 
population of Kentucky are the most intelligent, 
and are the best informed in all matters con- 
nected with the politics of the state, of any whom 
I have met with in any other country. The un- 
restrained freedom of election guaranteed by the 
constitution, gives to the hireling journeyman 
equal rights with his employer, and opens the 

39 



road of preferment, alike to the pennyless and the 
rich. This interest in the government awakes 
within them a spirit of inquiry, which in some 
instances conducts them to the heights of science, 
and as you have seen, sometimes to the highest 
offices of the Government. Owing, also, to the 
facilities of acquiring education and professions, 
the departments of each profession furnish a full 
list of supernumeraries. These to get into em- 
ployment in their professions or in public life, 
become the courtiers of the populace who are 
thereby taught to feel their influence in society, 
and an equality with the most respectable citizens 
of the state. Hence, you sometimes find them 
arrogant in their conduct and obtrusive in their 
conversation. These circumstances, combined 
with the collision which now exists between the 
contending parties of Kentucky, are calculated to 
call forth the energies of the mind in a most 
powerful degree; to render that state the best 
theatre for the boundings of the aspiring genius, 
or for the machinations of the ambitious intri- 
guer. 

It will be perhaps unfortunate in a political 
point of view, that so large a proportion of the 
young men of that state enroll their names on 
the professional lists. Its effect may be to with- 
draw from the labouring and farming interests 
of the country too many of its legitimate sub- 
jects. Were they to carry into the spheres to 
which nature has destined them, the energies of 
their minds, and the advantages of their Educa- 
tions, they would render those vocations more re- 
spectable, and society might be benefited by the 
discoveries and improvements which they might 
make in them, — The professions of law and medi- 



40 



cine will be rendered less profitable and honor- 
able in that state, in consequence of the number 
which hang around the bar, and of the empy- 
ricks which crown the medical department. Al- 
though a superior genius is now and then seen to 
rise like a meteor from the humble spheres of 
life, and to make its way through the constellat- 
ed firmament of talents, this is not sufficient to 
compensate for the loss which society sustains 
by the withdrawal of so many of the lawful sub- 
jects of mechanics and agriculture. It is, also, 
much to be feared that disappointment will drive 
some of them to dissipation. Too proud to 
labour, and too poor to live without it, they may 
close their useless lives in the abodes of proflig- 
acy, or with the cup of intemperance. I would 
not, however, have you to believe that these re- 
marks are made with reference to any evidences 
which occun-ed within my own observations of 
dissipation. Far from it! Those, with whom 
I had an acquaintance, were discreet, intelligent, 
arid respectable, and by their civilities and gen- 
tility of deportment entitled themselves to my 
good will and respect, 

I will now conduct you to the University of 
Kentucky. This Institution, as I have before 
stated, has attached to it a grammar school, a 
department of moral philosophy; of law and of 
medicine. In the grammar school, the Langua- 
ges are taught; in the department of philosophy, 
Ethicks, and especial attention is paid to mental 
Philosophy; the department of law, includes 
civil, municipal, maritime and perhaps national 
Law, and also politics. The medical department 
embraces a course of lectures, upon diseases 
and their causes; their remedies; anatomy and 



41 



surgeiy; medical jurisprudence and chemistry, 
i'he University is a large and spacious three 
story building, situated in the centre, of perhaps 
an acre of ground, on a back street of Lexington ; 
in the rear and in the same enclosure, is a large 
two-story house for the accommodation of the 
President. The whole area is neatly enclosed and 
set with grass, with walks intersecting and run- 
ning in different directions. There is no steward- 
ship attached to the college, and, I believe, the 
grammar boys, as well as the students of Law, 
and Medicine, board in private houses and else- 
where in town. 

Mr. Holley, a gentleman from the north, is now 
the President of this Institution ; he has an intel- 
ligent family who occupy the house in the rear 
of the University. 

Mr. Holley fills the department of Philosophy, 
and lectures on civil and perhaps national law 
and politics. Mr. Jesse Bledsoe, a judge of the 
circuit court, lectures on municipal, statute, and 
constitutional law, and Mr. Humphreys on mari- 
time law: the latter is an accession made this 
winter to the institution: From the nature of 
the subject, and the practical inutility of it to 
Kentucky lav/yers, Mr. Humphreys will probably 
find his lectures uninteresting, and, therefore, 
will withdraw from the institution. I heard 
each of these gentlemen lecture several times. 
Mr. Holley on the subject of mental Philosophy, 
both before his private class and in a public as- 
sembly; also on civil Law; in the latter branch 
Justinian is his text book, on the former 
Brown's treatise on mental Philosophy. This is 
a late work and is probably written by one of the 
professors of Edinburg — I will not undertake to 



42 



determine on the profundity of Mr. Holley's 
mind. — Owing to sectarian differences of Religi- 
ous opinions, Mr. H. has many enemies and many 
zealous friends; the latter award to him all that 
vanity or pride could ask, and his enemies deny 
to him what the most unresisting humility might 
claim. Were the difference between them submit- 
ted to my umpirage, I should award to him all 
that his friends ascribe to him, and what few of 
his enemies possess. He is liberal yet fixed in 
his theological opinions; his mind is sound and 
polished ; his language clear and precise ; his arti- 
culation distinct, his pronunciation rigidly cor- 
rect and beautiful. In debate he is able, elo- 
quent and spirited; his action is suited to the 
"words and the words to the action." There is 
a lustre in his face which receives its radiance 
from his heart. The scope of his Lectures, when 
I heard him, on mental philosophy, was to prove 
the unity and identity of the mind, that change 
of state is not incompatible with this unity, and 
also that without this unity of the mind, the ex- 
istence of a God would be but the notion of fan- 
atics, and the immortality of the soul but the 
Phantom of a dream; that the body is but a 
bundle of particles made up from the shambles 
of the butcher, the basket of the huckster and the 
shelves of the grocer; that these particles are 
wasted and resupplied every day, and every three 
years and a half the body undergoes a complete 
change, and, therefore, possesses no identity. 

Judge Bledsoe's Lectures were not interesting, 
for the most part, they were too elementary and 
general: they were, however, well calculated for 
the noviciates of whom his class were mostly 
composed. Mr. Bledsoe has had a rank for tal- 



43 



ents which he is now losing ; he was the compeer 
of Henry Clay, and a few years ago was consider- 
ed his superior ; but a weakness over which, per- 
sonal friendship throws her mantle, has injured 
his standing and induces me to abstain from com- 
ment. I cannot, however, drop the curtain with- 
out expressing my sincere regret that such a lum- 
inary should be shorn of its radiance by an un- 
timely cloud. These gentlemen lecture an hour 
everj^ day in the University. 

The medical departments are filled by Messrs. 
Caldwell, Drake, Dudly, Brown and Richardson; 
and Mr. Blythe is the Professor of Chemistry: 
these lecture in apartments separate from the 
University. I attended them all once, and the 
lectures on Anatomy by Dudly, and Chemistry 
frequently ; they were all interesting and some of 
them highly instructive. I was taught by one, 
the history of my species, before they see the 
light, the nature of ossification, and the sub- 
stances from which it derives its chief support, 
and the agency which the mother's milk has in 
carrying on and supporting this process. By 
another, the Anatomical structure of the body, 
the various intestinal canals and the functions 
which they perform in the economy of nature: 
By another I was informed, why Mount Blanc, 
whose summit is covered with perpetual snow, 
has on actual admeasurement, exhibited no in- 
crease or diminution of height for a centurv 
past, and many other things equally curious and 
some more useful. The science of medicine and 
its dependencies appears to me to have higher 
rewards in store for its votaries, than that of the 
law. The bold and diligent searcher in the 
former has yet ample opportunity of winning the 



44 



wreath of fame, by the discovery of new pheno- 
mena, whilst every nook and corner of the field 
of legal science has been explored and examined. 
The lectures on medical jurisprudence being 
more suited to my vocation, were particularly in- 
teresting and profitable. — In addition to the sub- 
jects already mentioned, Dr. Caldwell lectures on 
Phrenology or Craneology ; he has also published 
a book on it, in which he throws into the shade 
the labours of the celebrated Lavater. By this 
system he undertakes to decide the quality of the 
intellect, the strength and predominance of the 
passions with as much certainty, and much in 
the same way, that a purchaser would determine 
the quality of a piece of cloth. Lavater read the 
mind, and determined on the qualities of the 
heart through the features of the face. Dr. 
Caldwell by feeling the indentations and protube- 
rances of the back of the head, discovers the de- 
velopment of the passions and the unerring index 
to the properties of the mind! The Doctor is 
bold and original in his conceptions; he is the 
strong advocate for the influences of sympathy, 
and maintains that this affection is sufficient to 
do every thing. By this means he is said to have 
rendered himself unpopular with the ladies ; who 
protest against the introduction of such a princi- 
ple into their household, insisting that the old 
way of doing things is better than by the 
agency of sympathy. 

The lecture rooms are fitted up in the form of 
an amphitheatre, with a rostrum at the one 
end ; the lecturer stands and delivers his lectures 
with all the action, and, sometimes, the graces ot 
an eloquent haranguer. The majority of the pro- 
fessors in this department are accounted skilful, 

45 



profound and pre-eminent. Had I confidence in 
my competency to judge on this matter, I should 
approve this opinion. Having been accustomed 
to see pupils controled and regulated by the pro- 
fessor, I was much surprised to find that here, 
the students controled and regulated the teacher : 
and, that they hissed or applauded without res- 
traint, to which the professor bows with sub- 
mission or returns the smile of gratitude. 

There are about thirty law students, and two 
hundred and thirty in the medical class: 1 do 
not recollect the number in the grammar school. 
The price of boarding for a youth in Lexington 
is fifty dollars a year in specie, and two dollars 
and fifty cents in like money per week for the 
young gentlemen : in each case these charges 
cover all the expenses of a room, fuel, candles, 
washing, &c. There are students of law and 
medicine attending the lectures of this institu- 
tion from four or more different states. If they 
are not rewarded for the distance they travel 
and recompensed for the time and money they 
expend, it will be chargeable to their want of in- 
dustry or capacity, and not to the incompetency 
or inattention of the professors. Were the ad- 
vantages afforded by this Institution more ex- 
tensively known, it would attract more general 
notice and receive, as it deserves, more liberal 
patronage. 

It was my intention, to have visited Cincinnati, 
and from thence to have descended the river 
Ohio to Louisville, but owing to the badness of 
the weather and other causes not within my con- 
trol, I was obliged to decline it. Having men- 
tioned the state of Ohio, and as I am flying from 
one subject to another, I will mention a flight 



46 



which I heard of in that state. Near Cincinnati 
on the Ohio River stood a nine story factory. A 
yankee proclaimed at Cincinnati that, on a cer- 
tain day, he would jump out of the highest story 
of this factory. The day arrived and a large 
multitude gathered to see the yankee break his 
neck: before he took his leap, he said, he must 
have three hundred dollars for doing so. Each 
one being willing to contribute to pay the 
Yankee's passage over the river Styx, this sum 
was soon made up ; the yankee presented himself 
at the highest story of the building, furnished 
with two umbrellas: with these over his head 
he let himself down from the window. A draft 
of wind struck him at that moment, and wafted 
him four hundred yards up the river, into which 
he gently descended in the presence of a shouting 
multitude. The yankee was not drowned. He 
was taken up by boats which were in readiness. 

NO. VI. 

My Dear F: I have hitherto said nothing on 
the general state of Religion in Kentucky. Know- 
ing the interest which you feel in this subject, 
it shall be the next to engage my pen. 

This state, like all others with which I am ac- 
quainted, is divided into numerous religious 
sects; Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Epis- 
copalians, Unitarians, Shakerism and even Deism, 
all have their adherents. The two first are the 
most popular, and carry on their disputations 
with each other, and all other denominations, 
with an asperity which has characterized the 
first, in all ages and countries, and with a zeal 
which I have seldom witnessed amongst the 



47 



Baptists any where else: These last are sub- 
divided into Old and New lights, Christian Bap- 
tists, &c, &c. 

These two divisions, comprehended I be- 
lieve, much the largest portion of the 
community. Methodism is by no means 
popular in the parts of the country which 
I visited, and it is there confined to the lower 
classes of society. The Episcopalians have per- 
haps a few churches. There is, I believe, no Un- 
itarian church or preacher. Shakerism is con- 
fined to a certain order of people, who withdraw 
themselves from the world and form a separate 
community. The novelty of their tenets and the 
peculiarities in their mode of life induced me to 
visit them: You shall, therefore, hear more of 
this iDOople. 

I found amongst the favorers of each sect, in- 
telligence, respectability, and, in some instances 
worthy friends. Some of those who had attain- 
ed to the highest degree of faith, and had advanc- 
ed to the first ranks of the church, were bigotted 
and intolerant ; but their virtues and piety threw 
a brightness around their characters, which their 
intolerance could not conceal. 

From accident, or other causes, I seldom at- 
tended public worship. I had, therefore, but 
little opportunity of judging of the state of 
pulpit eloquence in that country. If correctly in- 
formed, I fear that some of their preachers are 
more engaged in pulling do\VTi the systems of 
others, than in laying the true foundation for 
the christian religion. There is certainly, yet, 
space enough unoccupied, on which they may 
build without pulling down other systems, that 
they may establish their religion on its ruins. 



48 



In my last, I mentioned leaving Lexington, and 
my return to Richmond. On my arrival there 1 
was invited to an evening party; the style of en- 
tertainment was handsome, though not splendid. 
The particular attentions of the gentleman to 
whose house I was invited, and of those whom 
I met there, evinced their knowledge of what was 
due to a stranger, and placed me under personal 
obligations. — These attentions and the general 
scene of hilarity, gentility, and fashion, heighten- 
ed by the beauty, refinement and intelligence of 
the ladies, enabled me to spend the evening 
cheerfully and rationally. 

The ladies in Kentucky are in general larger 
in stature than in your state. Springing, as it 
were, from a richer soil, their persons indicate 
a regular, well-proportioned and a more health- 
ful growth; they are large enough to be stately, 
without being awkward ; their symmetry is more 
the gift of nature than of art or fashion; their 
features are in general regular and handsome 
without being beautiful, and are well adapted to 
convey the impressions of an improved mind. 
Their deportments are in general dignified, evinc- 
ing exalted virtues, yet gracefully condescending, 
easy, candid and unaffected ; though in some few 
instances, rudely careless of what they say or do, 
and regardless of the respect due to others. Ac- 
customed to social intercourse and the frequent 
introduction to strangers, they are at once af- 
fable, receive a gentleman as a friend, and a 
stranger as an acquaintance. The general hos- 
pitality of their hearts is displayed in the kind- 
ness of their manners. Their style of dress is 
neat, easy and fashionable, though sometimes too 
ornamental. 



49 



In general, their minds are stored with sub- 
stantial and useful knowledge, and in many in- 
stances embellished with the fashionable accom- 
plishments. — Cheerful in dispositions, their con- 
versation is seasonably lively and interesting; 
the follies and foibles of the sex, and the beau- 
ties of a beau, or the fashions of a dress yield to 
more rational and edifying subjects of conver- 
sations. The ladies of Kentucky possess all that 
is useful belonging to their sex in any state, but 
they are destitute of that engaging softness of 
the southern, and attractive beauty of the north- 
ern ladies. I met, however, with a few individu- 
als of the sex who possessed every thing that was 
necessary to please the eye, to interest the heart 
and delight the mind. 

The Kentuckians are in general bold and enter- 
prising ; confiding in their friendships ; acute and 
judicious in their traffic, ardent and aspiring in 
their feelings, energetic in their measures, and 
intelligent, manly and independent in their man- 
ners ; the gentlemen are courteous, well-informed 
and cordially hospitable. 

From Richmond I made a tour through the vil- 
lages of Lancaster, Danville, Harodsburg, 
Shakerstown and Nicholasville : these villages 
are from ten to twenty miles apart. At Danville 
I staid a night and part of a day to visit the 
Deaf and Dumb Asylum. I have already stated 
that this institution has been founded by the 
Legislature of Kentucky, for the exclusive in- 
struction of the Deaf and Dumb of that state. 
It is endowed with three thousand dollars a year : 
the teacher, Mr. De Wit Clinton Mitchell, came 
on twelve months since from the State of New 
York, for the purpose of superintending it. 



50 



Having had some agency in the management of 
a similar institution in that State, he under- 
stands his business, and is competent to dis- 
charge the duties assigned him. This institution 
has been founded about eighteen months; it has 
now between twenty and thirty pupils including 
both sexes. — The scene which it exhibited was, 
to me, as novel as it was interesting. To be pre- 
sented with such a group of human beings from 
whom nature had withheld two of the faculties 
most essential to the improvement of the mind 
and the enjoyment of life, produced feelings of 
melancholy; but the cheerfulness of their count- 
enances soon dispelled the gloom of my own feel- 
ings. 

The school room is fitted up with a suitable 
number of benches placed at convenient distances 
across the floor; at each end of the room are 
placed large black boards ; the pupils are divided, 
without regard to sex, into classes ; one of these 
boards is occupied by Mr. Mitchell and his, the 
eldest class, whilst the other is occupied by Mr. 
Kerr, an assistant, with the junior class. In ad- 
dition to these boards the pupils are each 
furnished with slates; there are books also con- 
taining a complete system for the instruction of 
the children, which are used by the teacher and 
contain the exercises of the pupils. I had scarce 
entered the door when every eye was turned up- 
on me, and was seated but a few moments, before 
I was presented by a half dozen or more of these 
people, each with a slate with different questions 
written by them, suggested by their curiosity. — 
Some enquiring my name, and business in life; 
others from whence I came, and whither I was 
going, and one young lady about seventeen years 

51 



old, pretty and modest, whether I was married; 
to all which I gave the appropriate answers. 
These questions and answers were succeeded by- 
others which I asked in turn, their answers to 
which evinced more readiness and information 
than I supposed they possessed. Many of those 
who presented their slates, I was assured by Mr. 
Mitchell had been only twelve months with him, 
and of course had never before had any oppor- 
tunity of instruction. Their writing was equal 
to a lad of eighteen who had enjoyed the best 
opportunities of education. They write with the 
rapidity of a regular bred clerk and spell with 
the correctness of maturer years. 

In the various correspondencies carried on 
with them, I saw but one word spelt amiss, and 
in pointing it out to the writer, he corrected it 
with a blush, evidently shewing it was an error 
of haste, rather than of ignorance. The modes 
of communication amongst themselves is by 
signs, between them and the teacher by this mode 
and by writing. The class being on the seat 
fronting his board, Mr. Mitchell commenced his 
examination by writing questions; his examina- 
tion was principally on the Grammar and Arith- 
metic. On these subjects they evinced a readiness 
and discrimination of the numbers, genders and 
cases of the nouns, and the persons, moods, and 
tenses of the verbs truly wonderful. Their accur- 
acy in the simple rules of arithmetic was equally 
extraordinarJ^ — These examinations being over, 
some of them were called forth on the floor to 
describe the passions; these they exhibited from 
the tenderness of Love to the violence of Rage, 
with the intermediate degrees of softness and of 
vehemence, with an accuracy and a force which I 



52 



had never witnessed on the stage, and which 
could be equalled only by nature. 

The rapid progress of these children was not 
more remarkable than the accuracy of their 
knowledge. The latter I ascribed in part to the 
correctness of their teacher, but mainly to the 
want of hearing. Relying on their visual organs 
alone, as the medium of information, their per- 
ceptions are more clear and distinct than of those 
who rely on that and also on the faculty of hear- 
ing, and thereby are often misled by the similar- 
ity and confusion of sounds. Whether owing to 
the superiority of the mode of teaching, or to 
the fact, that the faculties of their minds are 
strengthened by the want of the powers of speech 
and of hearing, I pretend not to determine; but 
certain it is, that the progress of these children 
is unequalled by those of any other school which 
I have visited. The teacher is kept constantly on 
his feet and at his board, whilst engaged in teach- 
ing. 

After spending two or three hours in the 
school, and throwing my pittance into the 
"Charity Box," I left the room, followed by the 
obeisance and the eyes of the teachers and their 
scholars. Why is it, my dear F., that Virginia, 
who has been so liberal in her appropriations for 
the spread of knowledge in the various depart- 
ments of society, even to the darkest shades of 
poverty and of ignorance, has overlooked this 
class of unfortunate people ? Whilst she extends 
her fostering care to all those upon whom the 
Creator has bestowed all the faculties of their 
nature, why, I repeat, is it, that, Virginia has 
withheld the torch of knowledge from that class to 
whom wisdom of their Creator or the sportive- 

53 



ness of chance have denied the important facul- 
ties of hearing and of speaking? Is it because 
they are deemed incapable of instruction, or that 
their numbers are too few to deserve legislative 
notice, or because her attention has never been 
directed to the subject? I have already borne 
testimony to the fallacy of the first suggestion, 
and there is not sufficient evidence to justify the 
second. It is ascertained, that there are in Ken- 
tucky near two hundred and in the State of Ohio 
three hundred deaf and dumb persons, and that 
a large majority of them belong to indigent fam- 
ilies. Is there any reason why we should not 
expect to find in Virginia a number equal to the 
ratio of her population? The distinguished Gov- 
ernor of New York thought the subject worthy 
of his high mind, when making his late communi- 
cation to the Legislature of New York. Why 
should Virginia slumber whilst her sister states 
are active on the subject? Let her rouse up for 
shame. Humanity cries aloud for her exertions 
to redeem from brutal ignorance this helpless 
class of her citizens. A mere Legislative recom- 
mendation to the county courts, to instruct their 
sheriffs to take a list of such of these people as 
were found in their counties, and the condition 
of their parents, would disclose the number, 
without much trouble, and without much expense. 
Children of this description are thought a shame 
on their families and are therefore kept out of 
view. — Hence the idea prevails, that there are 
but few in the state, but I fear that an actual 
enumeration will disclose unexpected numbers. 
They cannot speak for themselves, and benevol- 
ence requires that others should crj" aloud for 
their assistance. 



54 



I left Danville and rode to Harodsburg a dis- 
tance of ten miles, from thence you will hear 
from me again. 

NO. VII. 

My Dear F: I remained at Harrodsburg a 
night and a part of the next day. In the suburbs 
of this town are several springs of some celeb- 
rity which are resorted to during the summer 
season, by the citizens of that state and also from 
other states, and even from Natchez and Orleans. 
The Chalebeat and Sulphur Springs, possess the 
ordinary qualities which their names import: a 
third, which I can signify only by describing its 
properties, is, deemed more useful in its medicin- 
al effects, is stronger, and is most generally used. 
The latter furnishes a large supply of water, the 
two former but a small proportion. The water 
of the large spring when boiled produces mag- 
nesia and Epsom Salts in combination, and also 
a slight deposit of white sand ; its taste is not un- 
pleasant, though strong and active in its effects ; 
it is light and does not seem to distend the stomach 
in an equal degree with some other waters. These 
springs together with the appurtenances are now 
rented out for eight hundred dollars a year, and 
to make the most of them the tenant has erected 
a furnace with several large kettles, near the 
large spring, into which its water is conducted 
where it is boiled, and the Epsom Salts are made. 
Twenty gallons of this water yield but one pound 
of salts. These are readily sold at fifty cents 
in specie per pound. The surrounding ground is 
high and gently slopes to the spring; the foun- 
tain is concealed by a covering, and you see the 
water only as it gushes forth from the trunk. 



55 



I however obtained an insight of it and found 
the bottom of the cistern covered with a preci- 
pitate streaked with red, yellow and bluish colors. 
I purchased a pound of these salts. They are 
more palatable, less harsh, though sufficiently 
active, than the common Epsom. 

The buildings for the accommodation of the 
visitors to the springs are situated about an 
hundred yards from them, and although once 
comfortable, are now in a state of decay. The 
present tenant, however, intends to make them 
comfortable by the season of resort. He ex- 
pects a large company this summer: he is a 
worthy man, and I hope he will not be disap- 
pointed. Its contiguity to the town, which I am 
told, affords good society, the agreeable aspect 
of the surrounding country, and the cheapness of 
the fare added to the usefulness of the water, will 
no doubt render a stay there for a few weeks, 
during the summer, agreeable to the healthy and 
profitable to the invalid. 

The attentions I received at Harrodsburg were 
flattering and I left it with regi*et, on the day after 
my arrival, for Shakerstown, a distance of five 
miles. The country immediately in the neighbor- 
hood of the latter place is more broken than be- 
tween it and Harrodsburg. Emerging from a 
valley, and rising a gradual ascent, Shakerstown 
displays itself to view on the contiguous height. 
This village is situated on the main road, lead- 
ing to Lexington from Harrodsburg; from one 
extremity to the other, it is, perhaps, three hun- 
dred yards long. On the one side of the road is 
a large church, a handsome garden tastily laid 
off, and a few brick work shops. On the opposite 
side, at the eastern extremity of the town is a 
frame building in which a tavern is kept; in re- 



56 



gular succession from this, and about fifty yards 
apart, there are three large brick and stone 
houses for the dwelling of the Shakers, and in 
the same row, is another large building, larger 
than those I have mentioned, yet unfinished, 
which is also intended for a family house : in the 
rear of these buildings are their offices, other 
work shops and machine houses. 

These family houses are seventy-five feet long, 
about forty wide, and are all built on the same 
plan, and within the same enclosure. The yard 
and the intervening spaces, between the houses, 
are set with grass; and has, passing through it, 
a wide walk, neatly laid with flag stones. The 
church is situated as before-mentioned on the op- 
posite side of the road and about the centre ot 
the town; the garden adjoins it; below this and 
on the same side, are the barns and stables. 

The Church is a frame building underpinned 
with superior neatness, with stone ; is about sixty 
feet long and proportionably wide, plastered and 
white washed, with chairboards, &c, painted blue, 
in the neatest conceivable style. The floor look- 
ed as though it was waxed. The church is 
warmed by two small stoves, placed at each end 
of the room. Moveable benches for the worship- 
pers, are arranged around the back part of the 
room, and in front are similar seats for the ac- 
commodation of strangers; in the upper 
part of the building over the worshiping 
room at either end, is an apartment each 
for the accommodation of the Elder and 
Eldress. These apartments communicated with 
the interior of the church by a small win- 
dow which is about a foot square, and 
near the ceiling of the worshipping room. In 



57 



front of the Church is an area paved with flag 
stones, and enclosed with pailings, which, as 
well as the exterior of the Church, is painted 
white. In the neighborhood of the town at var- 
ious distances and in different directions, are 
seen other houses, also belonging to the Shakers. 
These were occupied by them till within a few 
years, since which, they built their town; these 
are called, "the Blue houses." The Shakers own 
three thousand acres of land, lying in a body, in- 
cluding their town and out houses; they have a 
large three story mill on the same tract. 

I arrived at their town on Sunday about eleven 
o'clock : when I got in view of the Church I heard 
a doleful noise. As I approached nearer, the 
sound broke with increased strength on my ears. 
The air was filled with piercing shrieks, shouts, 
and confused acclamations, resembling the wild 
and maddened tenants of Bedlam. I was told 
that the Shakers were at worship. Such were 
the direful feelings which these sounds produced, 
that I paused for a moment to consider, whether 
I should go into the Church. The question was 
soon decided. I tied my horse and hastened in; 
at this moment all v/as calm, but presently their 
worship was renewed; there were about an hun- 
dred and thirty worshippers including both sexes, 
black and white. The females were drawn up 
in the west end of the Church in ranges of eight 
abreast and seven or eight deep. The men were 
drawn up in a like manner in the opposite end; 
the two columns fronting each other, with a 
space of several feet between the head of each 
column. 

The dress of either sex is uniform, resembling 
that of the old Quakers; from the girls of ten 



58 



years old to wrinkled old age, all dressed alike 
with long waisted gowns of dark colour, long 
checked aprons extending to the neck, a white 
long-eared cap, with ii white kerchief thrown 
over the shoulders, crossed and pinned before, 
and a checked cotton handkerchief loosely hung 
over the arm ; every article of their dress was in 
perfect order, and every individual of the column 
presented a clean, neat, precise dressed figure. 
The dress of the men consisted of light coloured 
domestic cloth, with coats and waistcoats of the 
longwaisted fashion, with outer pockets in the 
former, half way down the leg, and those in the 
waistcoats resting on the hips. Their shirts 
were of coarse cotton and they were without 
neckcloths. On this occasion, the coats were laid 
aside; the blacks of each sex, were arranged in- 
discriminately in the same ranks, and attired in 
the same manner with the whites. The counten- 
ances of the female ranks were pale, their vis- 
ages thin, and indicating great solemnity of feel- 
ings; those of the men equal solemnity and de- 
votion of thought, and more vigorous health. 
Two singers, from each sex, now took their 
stands at the head of their correspondent 
columns. A signal being given, the singers com- 
menced and the columns got into motion. They 
gently advanced and receded for some minutes, 
when on a sudden, they reversed fronts, quicken- 
ed their motions and danced in a similar manner : 
suddenly, they wheeled to their former positions 
increasing in the violence of their actions, as they 
were warmed by the spirit and animated by the 
singing. By one impulse they now broke the order 
in which they stood, and each column whirled 
within its own limits, in vertical commotion. 



59 



throwing their heads, hands, and legs in wild dis- 
order, occasionally leaping up and uttering a 
horrid yell. During this time, each individual 
had chimed in with the singers, who had them- 
selves fallen into their columns, and were all 
singing with stunning violence ; presently the two 
small windows near the ceiling, were seen parti- 
ally and gently to open, and the face of a male 
and female were imperfectly presented at the 
opposite windows. At this instant the motions 
which were before violent, became furious, and 
the noise, before stunning, was appalling. 
Shrieks and yells followed in alternate succession, 
till by their violence, and the incessant fury of 
their dancing, the worshippers were exhausted. 
Some sunk on the floor, whilst others were 
scarce able to get to their seats. The worship 
closed, and I left the house with feelings of horror 
which you can better imagine than I can describe. 
The singing was "Vox nil praeterea," sound 
without word, rhyme or sense. 

The Elder and Eldress are individuals of this 
society, who are supposed to have attained to 
the highest degree of purity of life, and strength 
of faith. On this account their persons are es- 
teemed sacred, and they I'eceive the confession 
of sins, though they are not supposed to possess 
the power of forgiving them; they are also sup- 
posed to possess the power of performing mira- 
cles, two instances of which, in effecting instan- 
taneous cures of severe wounds, are said, to have 
been lately exhibited in their town. These elders 
occupy the upper apartments of the church, and 
when it pleaseth them to look down from their 
sacred abodes on the worshipers below, it is 
deemed a special act of condescension and grace. 



60 



I went amongst them with strong prejudices and 
I left them with feelings of abomination, believ- 
ing they were in the gall of bitterness and in the 
bonds of damning iniquity. I remained in the 
neighborhood that night, and on the invitation 
of one of their members, returned the next day, 
to visit their houses and to learn something of 
their domestic economy and police. I stopped at 
the tavern, and from thence was conducted by 
an intelligent guide, one of their members, 
through the various apartments of their houses, 
from the cellar to the garret, and into their 
kitchens. 

You are to bear in mind that the fundamental 
principle of the religion of these Quakers is a 
total non-intercourse between the sexes; con- 
sequently husband and wife are disunited as 
soon as they enter into this society. All their 
domestic arrangements are, therefore, made with 
a rigid regard to this object. Each family house 
is divided into small rooms, large enough for two 
beds, and each has a wardrobe attached to it. 
There is one kitchen, and dining room, common 
to the house ; the latter has two doors, on one side 
leading from the common passage. The house 
is divided in every story by a wide pass-way ; the 
one side of the house through each story, is oc- 
cupied by the females ; the opposite by the males ; 
there are also two pairs of stairs leading to the 
apartments on opposite sides of the house ; these 
houses are neatly finished. The tenants of each 
live as one family. The women cook, wash, 
make and mend. The men attend to all the 
farming, mechanical and out of doors labour for 
the family. Unless on some domestic necessity, 
the males and females are never seen in the op- 



61 



posite sides of the house: In going to morning 
and evening worship, which is held in the dining 
room, and when going to and returning from 
their meals, they enter the room at their own 
doors, eat at their own tables, and return on their 
own sides of the house : before eating they kneel 
down to grace, each one saying it for himself. 
Everything about them, within and without their 
houses, about their farms, stable and barn, in- 
dicates uncommon neatness, ingenuity and in- 
dustry; and the countenances of the males and 
females, when not at worship exhibit meek, con- 
tented, cheerful and happy minds, though now 
and then, I met with a dark, sullen, and morose 
face. Whilst engaged in their labours together, 
they were active, considerate, cheerful and social ; 
each evincing a personal interest whilst they 
were laboring for the common good. Their 
labours and all their mechanism is performed 
by their own members. They are a trafficking, 
humane, honest and thrifty people; each depart- 
ment has an officer by which it is regulated, who 
is chosen by vote at convenient seasons, and most 
frequently against his inclination. They also 
have officers for foreign, as well as the home de- 
partments; the duty of the former is, to attend 
to distant purchasers and sales, and to collect 
debts. They do not meddle with politics al- 
though often urged to attend the elections by 
candidates for offices, and although their number 
of votes would be often sufficient to decide im- 
portant elections. They have preachers who oc- 
casionally visit other similar establishments in 
their own state, and in Ohio. Between these es- 
tablishments there is a constant and friendly in- 
tercourse; these preachers also make frequent 



62 



missionarj'^ tours to the distant part of the coun- 
try, and out of their own state. In this society- 
are seen persons of all ages from the tenderness 
of infancy to the decrepitude of old age; they 
receive all persons, whether rich or poor, and 
children of any age, that may be given them by 
their parents, rear them in comfort and with 
care and give them plain rudimental educations. 
As all are permitted to join them, so no one is re- 
strained from leaving them, though having once 
entered into "the covenant," they cannot reclaim 
their property. Sudden conversions, to their re- 
ligion, though not often, sometimes happen. I 
will give you tvv^o of several instances that have 
happened. A gentleman of North Carolina, of 
distinguished family and wealth, being in bad 
health, travelled through Kentucky, and was led 
by curiosity to visit these people, in a few days 
became a convert, joined them, and surrendered 
to them, all his estate. His connections soon 
heard of it, with great concern and haste they 
dispatched, another of the family, to dissuade his 
brother from his purposes and to bring him 
home. The messenger had scarce arrived be- 
fore he became also a convert, joined them, and 
surrendered his property. It became necessary 
that these brothers should return to their own 
state, to make a disposition of their lands. They 
went, intending to bring the proceeds with them, 
for the benefit of the society. They, however, 
never returned, being prevented by the influence 
of their friends. A compromise was made with 
the society and a division of the property took 
place. Although there are but few instances of 
abandonment, the society increases but slowly. 
This has been established twenty years, and 

63 



there are not five hundred members belong-ing to 
it. I was introduced amongst the women; they 
were social, civil and communicative. 

To describe the many useful fixtures and 
labour-saving machines, which I was shown, 
would engage too much of my time and paper. I 
will, therefore, content myself with noticing a 
few of them. In the kitchens are pumps by 
which they are supplied with water, kettles fixed 
in furnaces, besides, an ordinary fire place, and 
a bake oven. I have already said, they have a 
large three story and complete manufactory mill ; 
the wheat being deposited from the wagon, the 
machinery is brought to act on it, and it is not 
handled till the flour is deposited in the packing 
room ; by elevators, it is carried three times into 
the upper story of the mill before it finally de- 
scends. Attached to this, is a corn-shelling 
machine, which with the attention of a lad, will 
shell four hundred bushels of corn a day. This 
consists of a circular cast iron plate three feet in 
diameter, with ridges on the inner side running- 
like the radii of a circle, are perhaps two inches 
apart, at the circumference the plate is hung and 
revolves on an axis like a grindstone, at a small 
distance from the inner surface of this plate a 
horizontal spring of wood is fixed upon a firm 
piece of timber, leaving just space enough be- 
tween the spring and the ridges of the plate to 
receive an ear of corn. The axis of this plate 
is connected with the machinery of the mill by 
a band ; the ear of corn being thrown between the 
spring and this plate it is shelled by the ridges 
of this revolving machine; the spring j'ields and 
adapts itself to ears of corn of any size. The 
construction is simple and not expensive. Their 



64 



flax is broken and "swing-led" by machinery and 
without previous rotting. By this machinery 
they can break 4,000 weights of flax a day. The 
operation is performed by means of three iron 
rollers, about the size, and form of the common 
apple mill, and like it, these rollers are fluted and 
run into each other, being placed horizontally, 
and one on the top of the other; it is actuated 
by a two-horse power: the swingling is done 
by means of a wheel six feet in diameter with 
six or more wooden knives fastened to the rim, 
this is united by a band to the other machinery; 
the rollers which I have described, are cast in 
segments, and fastened on a wooden cylinder. 
Their washing is done by a horsepower, and the 
ironing by weight and rollers, without the appli- 
cation of heat. There are three wooden rollers, 
six inches in diameter; the clothes are wrapt 
around them, the weight which is a large oblong 
box three or more feet long, and two wide, filled 
with sand and weighing a ton, is placed upon 
these rollers; by small windlass, this box is 
drawn horizontally on a platform, the two front 
rollers deliver their clothes at the end of this 
form, the weight is pushed back and the rollers 
are replaced under the box. The operation is 
simple, expeditious and effectual. The silk worm 
is reared here, and sewing silk of superior 
quality is made of its web. 

It was my intention to leave town on this day ; 
but I was so earnestly invited to remain, that 
I staid till the next morning; by doing so, I had 
an opportunity of witnessing the evening devo- 
tion and of conversing with the preacher, and 
others of the fraternity. The evening vv^orship 
presented more order and decorum than of the 



65 



preceding day. The worshippers were drawn 
up in the manner before described, and the 
columns went through similar evolutions, except 
the whirling, their steps were more orderly and 
in some instances were graceful; those who did 
not join in the dance kept time by throwing their 
hands, palms upwards, up and down, with a 
motion from the wrist. They never have pray- 
ers, and preaching but seldom. Amongst the 
worshippers on Sunday, were a Swiss and a Nor- 
wegian, neither of whom understood or could 
speak a word of the English language. Under 
other circumstances, I should have been amused, 
to see these two fellows with long, prone, faces, 
and arms pinioned with awkwardness to their 
sides, shuffling away in the corner by themselves, 
with measured time and easy step, whilst the 
others were leaping, dancing, shouting and sing- 
ing with the wild extravagance of untamed sav- 
ages. 

It would require more time and space than 1 
have, to give you the outlines of the religion of 
the Shaking Quakers. I must, therefore, refer 
you to other sources of information. Every 
effort of their system is to war against the lusts 
of the flesh ; they believe that the mode by which 
the world is to be brought to an end, by its 
Creator, is by preventing the increase of the 
human species. The novitiates are placed in a 
state of probation at the "Blue House," and be- 
fore admitted into full membership, are required 
to sign a conveyance of their property to the 
society, for the common benefit ; this is called en- 
tering into the "first covenant," they are then 
permitted to live in town. They are an orderly, 
peaceful, and in general, uninformed, and I be- 



66 



lieve, virtuous community; there are no written 
rules for the government of the society, nor any 
law to punish the disorderly, and I was assured 
that no instance of disorder has occurred since 
the foundation of their institution. 

Is not this a secret in government worth in- 
vestigating? There is a perfect equality in their 
burthens and labours, and no distinction of rank 
amongst them. — They all labour, the preacher as 
well as the layman, and are governed by the same 
impulse, the common good. The society is said 
to be worth three hundred thousand dollars. 

I left Shakerstown the next morning; they 
refused to receive pay for my accommodations 
at their Tavern, and urged me to visit them 
again. I rode to Nicholasville about twenty 
miles. I have dwelt the longer on the subject 
of this community of people, believing that you 
would be gratified with a minute account of a 
people so peculiar in their tenets, so singular in 
their mode of life, and who blend so much theo- 
logical absurdity with practical sobriety and com- 
mon sense, and of whose moral character, I be- 
lieve so many unjust slanders have been propa- 
gated. If I have trespassed on your patience, you 
may console yourself with knowing, that ere long, 
I shall close these letters, and bid you a final 
adieu. 

NO. VIII. 

My Dear F : Nicholasville presents the appear- 
ance of a cluster of houses, thrown together by 
chance. The muddiness of the streets and driz- 
zling of the weather, whilst I was there, gave the 
town a dirty sombre aspect. My host, his tavern, 



67 



and the company around him, afforded no relief, 
but added to the offensiveness of the scene. I 
saw but two decent looking persons in the place. 
I left it a stranger to others, and without making 
known my name. Shortly before my arrival, 
a Dutchman in the neighborhood, having a grudge 
to a citizen, provoked him to strike, when the 
former stabbed him with a knife; the perpetra- 
tor was under arrest, and the wounded man in 
hourly expectation of death. In the margin of 
this town, is a large cotton factory, impelled by 
steam upon a new tubular construction. 

The weather was now wet and the roads deep. 
The Legislature of Kentucky have as yet done 
but little on the subject of internal improvement. 
In wet weather the travelling is deep, and some- 
times the roads are almost impassable for wheel 
carriages. This is rendered worse from the cir- 
cumstances, that through the thicker settlements 
of the state, the farms adjoining the highways 
are all enclosed by fences, and the road, for miles 
together, is a continued lane. If it be difficult 
of passage in the winter, these lanes render it 
equally uncomfortable to the traveller in the sum- 
mer, by his continued exposure to the unshaded 
beams of the sun. The necessity of good roads 
is so strongly felt by the people of the state, and 
those engaged in the commerce of the country, 
that they are calling on the legislature to make 
an exertion for their improvement. As a proof 
of the interest which the merchants of Lexington 
feel in this subject, I was told that owing to the 
badness of the roads in winter, they pay nearly 
as much per hundred for wagonage from Lime- 
stone on the Ohio, a distance of ninety miles, as 
it costs them to get their goods delivered at the 



68 



latter place, from Philadelphia. A proposition 
was made at the last Session of the Legislature, 
to set apart a certain fund for Internal Improve- 
ment. I do not know how it was disposed of. 
Amongst the suggestions for the improvement of 
the roads made in the public prints, was one so 
singular in its character, that I cannot refrain 
from mentioning it. The writer, as I under- 
stood, proposed, instead of making a road, to 
cover the present road with a shelter, in rope- 
walk fashion. It was shrewdly suspected that 
the proposition originated with a carpenter or a 
dealer in timber. I hope the Legislature will 
pause before they adopt this mode of wasting the 
finances of the state. I saw but one road made 
under public patronage ; this leads from Cumber- 
land Gap, through the wilderness of Kentucky to 
Richmond, over a barren, broken country, a dis- 
tance of an hundred miles; in making the road 
they have substituted, where necessary, poles for 
stone; the toll which amounts to 3000 dollars a 
year, is appropriated to the improvement of the 
road. Whoever travels through the state of 
Kentucky, expecting to meet with an unvarying 
scene of rich soil and luxuriant growth, will find 
himself disappointed. Although this is the gen- 
eral character of the soil and growth of the 
country ; during my tour I found lands which for 
miles square, presented a striking contrast to 
the appearance of the country about Lexington, 
Fayette and Bourbon and other rich counties of 
the state. These counties present a rich black 
mould which seems to have no bottom; the soil 
is also light and porous, resembling in many 
places alluvion soil. The forest timber is large 
and tall, without any under growth. It consists 



69 



principally of walnut, cherry, buckeye, sugar- 
tree, locust, oak, and sometimes dogwood, and 
rarely hickory: other growths are occasionally 
seen in lands vaiying in quality. 

There are but few minerals found in the 
bowels of the earth, in this state. The face of 
the country about Lexington, and for forty or 
fifty miles in certain directions, presents an uni- 
form and unbroken plain. Approaching Frank- 
fort, the eye accustomed and pleased with the 
varying scenes of mountains, finds relief from 
this uniformity, in the brokenness of that country. 
Frankfort is situated on the bank of the Ken- 
tucky river; the unevenness which is seen in this 
neighborhood, I am told, characterises the coun- 
try on both sides of this river from Frankfort, 
for an hundred miles up, where it rises into 
ridges and almost into mountain's height. The 
bowels of these ridges furnish an abundant sup- 
ply of excellent stone coal, which is taken down 
the river in flat-bottom boats; by means of 
which Lexington and Frankfort are mostly sup- 
plied with fuel. At these places, the coal costs 
about ten cents in specie by the bushel. The 
river is navigable for some distance above Frank- 
fort, with flat boats, two thirds of the year: 
Marble of inferior quality and beauty is also 
found in these ridges, and lower down the river. 

Owing to the ravages of the caterpillar, some 
years ago, and the exposure by the lightness of 
the soil, of the roots to the heats of summer and 
frosts of the winter, the forest timber of Ken- 
tucky is rapidly decaying, without having an un- 
dergrowth to supply its place. It is thought the 
day is not very distant, when the people of that 
state will be obliged to rely on stone coal for 



70 



fuel, and on raising timber for other purposes. 
Locust trees are here large and numerous, rapid 
in their growth, and spring up in the unculti- 
vated fields, as the pine of the lower country, 
succeeds in fields which have been exhausted by 
cultivation. 

This state which once abounded in herds of 
Buffalo and other wild animals, now furnishes 
but little game v/orthj^ of pursuit : a few deer and 
still fewer bears, are found in the river hills. 
In my travels I visited a park containing forty 
deer, three elk, and three buffaloe: of the latter, 
one was full, one half, and the other, quarter 
blood. These animals were all raised in their 
parks; the proprietor sold two elks out of his 
park, one of them, a buck, for five hundred dol- 
lars. The park contains fifty acres of land, is 
shaded with forest trees, covered with grass, and 
has a stream flowing through it : these animals as- 
sociate in harmony and feed together, in winter 
on hay and corn. 

The farms in Kentucky are generally large, 
and, as in all other countries, where they are 
cultivated by slaves, these often bear the appear- 
ance of negligent cultivation; their proprietors 
rely more on the richness of the soil than on their 
industrj^ and skill in the management of them; 
to this general remark, however, there are some 
exceptions. The country is unfavourable to 
wheat ; corn and hemp, and in some instances to- 
bacco, are at present the chief objects of cul- 
tivation : the present low price of their products 
is, perhaps, another reason why the farmers are 
less attentive to the cultivation of their fields. 
Corn was selling during the winter, near Rich- 
mond at fifty cents in specie per barrel. Their 



71 



hemp is manufactured into bagging and cord- 
age, and sent to the south. Owing to the rapid- 
ity of its growth, the tobacco of Kentucky is in- 
ferior in quality to the tobacco of Virginia ; I am 
inclined to believe, it is also owing to the want of 
skill and attention in its management. The peo- 
ple of this state are strong friends to the tariff; 
they have sometimes suffered by the prevalence 
and strength of a different feeling in the south- 
ern states. A gentleman of my acquaintance 
sent, during the last fall, two wagons loaded with 
bagging and cordage to South Carolina. A re- 
port preceded them, that Henry Clay had three 
hundred wagons on the way loaded with the 
same article ; on their arrival these wagons were 
suspected to be of that number, to belong to Mr. 
Clay, and that they were passing under feigned 
names, whereupon the traders in those articles 
turned their backs on them, and refused to pur- 
chase, in consequence of this anti-tariff and anti- 
Clay feeling; this gentleman was constrained to 
sell at very reduced prices, and perhaps to leave 
a part of the cargo unsold. 

You have, no doubt, heard it said that Mr. 
Clay is very largely interested in the bagging 
manufactory^ and that his exertions to carry the 
tariff bill, were ascribed to the personal interest 
he felt in the consequences of this measure. My 
inquiries on the subject, satisfy me that Mr. 
Clay is not extensively engaged in the manu- 
facturing of that article, and that great injustice 
has been done to his character, by imputing to 
him such motives. 

The farmers of Kentucky have turned their at- 
tention of late years to raising of stock. Horses, 
mules, stall cattle and hogs, are raised, and 



72 



driven to Virg-inia, and the southern markets, in 
great numbers ; of the two former, there were 
driven through the Turnpike gate, on the wilder- 
ness road, last fall four thousand; through that 
gate and during the same season, there were 
fifty-eight thousand hogs driven. It has lately be- 
come the custom, for the Kentuckians, to pur- 
chase hogs in the spring season in the States of 
Ohio and Indiana, which they bring to their own 
State, and turn on clover fields, then into the 
oats and rye, and lastly into their corn fields, 
where they are fattened and prepared for 
market; the hogs of this state are often driven 
to market, at twelve months old, and are seldom 
kept longer than eighteen months or two years. — 
The stock raisers rear but one sort of stock for 
market: those who raise cattle, never pull the 
corn from the stalk, it is cut up in the green 
state of the blade, and stacked in different par- 
cels through the fields, where it remains till the 
winter, when it is hauled and thrown in ricks 
to their cattle; to prevent the waste of the un- 
digested corn, they purchase pigs to follow the 
steer, during this season, after which, the shoats 
are sold to another, who prepares hogs for mar- 
ket. On my journey I fell in with a drove of 
steers on their way to the southern market; in 
their rear were driven, as many shoats which 
gathered their wastings. If the Kentuckians are 
extravagant in some things, they are saving in 
others. The exports from Kentucky in the pro- 
duce of the state during the last year, were esti- 
mated at upwards of $600,000; this amount in 
par money appropriated annually, to the ex- 
tinguishment of their foreign debt, will discharge 
it in a few years, and redeem her credit : the pre- 

73 



sent caution of their merchants, and their diffi- 
culty in procuring credit abroad, will secure the 
credit of the State against the increase of its 
present debt. 

In passing through the State of Kentucky the 
tourist will be surprised at the number of its 
villages, respectable for their size, the style of 
their buildings, and the quantum of their popu- 
lation, situated too within short distances of each 
other, and most of them, but little further from 
Lexington, the emporium of the State. With few 
exceptions these villages have paved streets, 
houses built of bricks, large, handsome and often 
finished in a style of elegance. The population 
I believe is about 6,000, and many of these vill- 
ages are equal in size to your Manchester. They 
bespeak a former extravagance, which the pre- 
sent condition of the country is unable to sus- 
tain, and a general decline of trade. 

I have now, my dear F, finished my long, and 
I fear you will think, tedious tour. If the amen- 
ities of friendship have urged me to unreason- 
able limits of detail, I hope, a desire to give you 
correct information, has rendered me impartial 
and kept me within the pale of faithful truth. 
As I have written from memory'-, after a lapse of 
some weeks, perhaps I have not written with the 
minute accuracy of a Diarist. I believe, however, 
that the accuracy of my statements may be re- 
lied on; where I have relied on the information 
of others, the statements were accredited by me, 
though they may not always have been correct. 
If I have conducted you through the ravages of 
■political frenzy and the ruins of private extra- 
vagance, the scene has been sometimes varie- 
gated with the pleasing prospect of reform, the 



74 



beauties of cultivation, embellished with the 
bloom of female enchantments. 

To those who have viewed Kentucky through 
the medium of her government or the prejudices 
of opposing interests, my representations of her 
citizens may appear too favourable. Although I 
feel an insuperable aversion to the political 
scenes which I have represented; I have endea- 
voured to exhibit them and their agents, with 
the pencil of truth and impartiality; and, how- 
ever much others may be disposed to charge me 
with flattery, I doubt not, there are some whose 
portraits I have taken, who will think my pencil 
has been dipt in gall. — To the latter class I have 
no other apologj^ to offer, than that I have had 
no hostile feeling to indulge, and but few friend- 
ships on the political theatre to gratify; and if 
justified by truth, I should be more gratified to 
present a political picture, unsullied by contrast 
and unvarying in its beauties. I have more plea- 
sure in contemplating the rose than the blood 
stained scalping knife. I had no feelings of in- 
terest to blind me to the virtues, kindness, and 
hospitalities of those amongst whom, by design 
or accident, I was thrown, whilst passing through 
the state, nor any adverse claims to call forth 
the neglect of inattention, or the feelings of in- 
hospitality. I was seeking information, and 
gratifying my curiosity, and I was happy in 
forming acquaintances, whose attentions placed 
me under obligations, and whose friendships 
rendered them dear to my heart and with some 
of whom I trust those feelings of regard are 
reciprocal. 

It is possible I have formed opinions of the 
state and citizens of Kentucky on too partial an 



75 



acquaintance and on too hasty a view; of this 
others will be better judges than myself. In their 
social circles, I mingled with pleasure and left 
them with regret, and if what I have written, 
shall remove from the mind of my Dear F., or 
from that of any friend into whose hands my let- 
ters may fall, an unjust prejudice, I shall con- 
gratulate myself in having by my vindication of 
their characters, discharged one of the many per- 
sonal obligations which I owe to the polite cir- 
cles of Kentucky. — ^Adieu, a final adieu, my Dear 
F. 



76 



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